
SURVEY 



OF 



Educational Conditions 

in Fairfield County, Ohio 




BY 



F. C. LANDSITTEL 

HALF-TIME HIGH SCHOOL INSPECTOR 
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 



PUBLISHED BY 

VERNON M. RIEGEL 

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION 
AS DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION 

1921 



SURVEY 



OF 



Educational Conditions in Fairfield 
County, Ohio 



BY 

F. C: LANDSITTEL 

HALF-TIME HIGH SCHOOL INSPECTOR 
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 



PUBLISHED BY 



VERNON M. RIEGEL 

OF PUB 
)R OFlE 

1921 



superintendent of public instruction 
asIdirector ofIeducation 



Columbus, Ohio : 

The F. J. Heer Printing Co. 

1921 

Bound at the State Bindery. 






LIBRARY Of CONGRFSS 

JAN 18 19^:^ 



FOREWORD 



It is suggested that this bulletin be used as a guide for county 
superintendents in the study and survey of school conditions in their 
respective counties. Knowledge of things as they are is a necessary 
condition precedent to the realization of ideals. 

Hoping that this publication may be helpful to all who desire to 
make an intensive study of rural school, conditions the same is respect- 
fully submitted. 

(3) 



PREFATORY 



The survey reported in the following pages was undertaken at the 
request of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction largely for 
his information, but primarily for the benefit of the county surveyed. 
Being an almost purely individual piece of work, some doubt may be en- 
tertained as to whether the term survey may with propriety be applied to 
it. Little or no opportunity was afforded for conference or counsel upon 
the subjects with which it deals, and hence the conclusions reached are 
not advanced with high claims as to their finality. They are, however, 
based upon carefully recorded and substantial evidence. 

The field work occupied a total of twenty-three days in the months 
of September, October, and November, 1920. Eleven days were spent 
in visiting teachers in company with district superintendents of schools, 
in the course of which time forty- four one-room rural schools were in- 
spected. 

Two meetings of the rural and village superintendents were at- 
tended, at which features of the survey were discussed and certain facts 
incorporated in this report were brought out. One meeting of the county 
board of education was attended for the purpose of urging upon this 
board reorganization of the county administrative system. A regular 
meeting of the Walnut rural board was attended, also, with the idea 
of furthering consolidation of the schools of the district. 

All of the high schools of the county, with the exception of Lan- 
caster city, were regularly inspected in the course of the survey, al- 
though very limited space is given to them in this report. 

A considerable part of the information obtained in the course of the 
survey was drawn from reports furnished by the superintendents. In this 
and in every other point of their relationship to the survey, the super- 
intendents showed a most obliging and courteous spirit. The same may 
be said of board members and teachers, so far as the surveyor was 
brought into contact with them. All of this is gratefully acknowledged. 

(4) 



CONTENTS 



Page 

I. Background 7 

II. School Population and Attendance 11 

III. The Curriculum IB 

IV. Buildings and Grounds __ 25 

V. The Teacher and His Work 26 

VI. Supervision 37 

VII. Financial Support -1' 

VIII. Reorganization ■j2 

(5) 



CHAPTER I 

I. Background 

The Fairfield lies at the south-eastern corner of a group of 

Land agricultural counties of central Ohio. Its area is 470 

Situation square miles, approximately six-sevenths being cultivable 

land. The one-seventh not under cultivation represents 
wood-lots and scattered spots of waste land aggregating approximately 
4,000 acres. These both, for the most part, are located in the south- 
eastern part of the county. The only unproductive soil worth consider- 
ing is to be found on the hills and ridges of this same section. These 
hills represent what may be termed a point in the south-eastern edge 
of the glaciated area of Ohio. The land elsewhere thruout the county 
is gently rolling, and covered to varying depths with rich glacial de- 
posits. Besides wide-spread fields of drift there are to be found 
further evidences of early glacial work in the form of boulders and 
moraines. An especially conspicuous glacial earthwork is Mt. Pleasant, 
an eminence of sandstone with almost vertically cut sides, located within 
the limits of the city of Lancaster. 

Political The political divisions of the county embrace thirteen 

Division townships, fifteen villages, and the county seat city of 

Lancaster. Most of the townships are laid out on the 
regulation United States Land Survey basis, six miles square. Excep- 
tions are as follows : Madison, 5 by 6 miles ; Richland, 4 by 6 ; Violet, 
5 by 8; with two odd square miles projecting toward the west at the 
north-west corner; and Liberty, Walnut, and Berne, each 6 by 8 miles. 
The city of Lancaster is located only a little distance south of the exact 
center of the county. 

Bodies No bodies of water of material consequence are to be 

of found in the county or immediately contiguous to it. 

Water Buckeye Lake in the extreme north-east is the site of 

a not unimportant pleasure resort, but it does not afifect 
appreciably the life of the population of the county as a whole. Clear 
Creek, which has its source in the mid-western part of the county, fol- 
lows a winding course thru three south-western townships, passing out 
of the county at about the middle of the southern boundary. On 
the opposite side of the county is Rush Creek which flow^s almost due 
south thru the two eastern-most townships. The extreme upper course 
of the Hocking River is in the county, the source being toward the 
western border a little north of midway from north to south. Its course 

(7) 



8 

is south-easterly, touching the city of Lancaster and crossing the south- 
ern border a little east of mid-way. All three of these streams have 
had somewhat to do with the topography of the southern half of the 
county, particularly in. the production of considerable flood plains along 
their courses. 

Railroads Three railroads traverse the county. The Toledo and 

Ohio Central runs in a north-west to south-easterly 
direction thru the three northern and two eastern townships, with a 
division extending northward from the town of Thurston. The Hocking 
Valley Railroad crosses diagonally from a point on the western border 
six-and-a-half miles from its north limit to approximately the south- 
eastern corner. This road is paralleled from Lancaster northward by 
the Lancaster division of the Scioto Valley traction line. The Trinway- 
Cincinnati division of the Pennsylvania railroad system extends from a 
point about two miles from the south limit of the western border in a 
direction a little north of east to a point somewhat south of the middle 
of the eastern border. This latter line intersects the Hocking Valley at 
Lancaster and the Toledo and Ohio Central at Bremen. All are single- 
track roads, but substantial and serviceable. The first of these railroad 
lines, the Toledo and Ohio Central, affords access to the cities of Co- 
lumbus, Newark and Toledo to the north, and to the south, to New 
Lexington, Athens, Gallipolis, Pomeroy and Charleston, W. Va. The 
Hocking Valley, besides furnishing an outlet to the cities already named, 
is a means continuously used by the people for reaching other southern 
towns, such as Logan, Jackson, Wellston, and indirectly Portsmouth. 
The Pennsylvania line establishes communication eastward beyond New 
Lexington with Zanesville and Trinway, a junction point on a through 
line of the Pennsylvania system, and in the opposite direction with 
Circleville, Washington Court House, Wilmington, and Cincinnati. 

Wagon Fairfield county is well provided with main market 

Roads roads. These are well distributed over the county, their 

tendency toward centering at Lancaster being properly 
quite pronounced. Roads of the lately conceived inter-county highway 
type radiate from Lancaster in five directions. Inter-communicating 
roads between those of main travel follow section lines only in part. 
The extent to which this is true gradually diminishes from north to south 
until the middle of the county is passed, when it becomes scarcely at all 
perceptible. The total mileage of roads is 1009, all but 324 miles of 
which are improved. With a proportion of less than one third of un- 
improved or dirt roads the county is in a highly favorable position, com- 
pared with other counties of the state. Twenty-five miles of brick, 
cement, and macadam roadway are maintained by the state. Gravel and 
macadam roads to the extent of 235 miles have been improved and are 



being maintained by tbe county, wbile the townships have improved and 
are maintaining 425 miles of such roads. 

Agricultural As previously intimated the j)aramount source of 
Wealth wealth is agriculture. The surveyor can not refrain 

from commenting upon the evidence practically every- 
where encountered of abounding prosperity on the farms. There were 
literal miles of shucked fodder rows with full-crop heaps of corn lying 
by ; mountains of lately threshed stacks of straw ; apples flushed with 
stored-up crimson and gold snatched from summer sunsets, seen still 
swaying upon heavily burdened, well nourished trees or piled high in 
orchards ; pumpkins ; peaches ; potatoes ; grapes ; pears, — everything in 
fact that the horn of plenty could hold. Best of all, as the countryside 
was traversed, there were observed nearly everywhere not only sub- 
stantial barns but peacefully attractive, indeed beautiful, country homes. 
The whole situation seems almost to defy everything like money valua- 
tion. The place which Fairfield County holds in the agriculture of 
Ohio is shown by statistics to be found in the Ohio Annual Crop Report 
for 1919. The production of corn in that year was 2,581,763 bushels, 
the county ranking twenty-third among the counties of the state. In 
winter wheat the production was 1,375,210 bushels, the rank being third; 
in oats 114,100 bushels, rank eighty-second; potatoes 55,427 bushels, rank 
fifty-fourth; hay 56,178 tons, rank twenty-fifth. The production of 
some of these crops for 1920, according to the federal census was as 
follows : Corn 2,646,000 bushels ; wheat 538,200 bushels ; oats 148,200 
bushels. 

Land Land values range from sixty and seventy-five dollars 

Values an acre in the less productive parts to two and three 

hundred dollars elsewhere. Two hundred dollars is the 

prevailing valuation thruout mos|: of the county. The total value of 

land and buildings in the county, exclusive of the city of Lancaster and 

the villages, as reported by the last federal census is $39,124,641. This 

represents an acreage of 307,007 or nearly $130 an acre as the average 

valuation. From the auditor's tax list it appears that about one-fifth of 

farm values is attributable to buildings. Deducting in this proportion, it 

appears that the average valuation of the naked land is $104 an acre. 

During the progress of the survey the judgment was formed from what 

seemed to be reliable evidence, that real estate in Fairfield County is 

hsted for taxation at about 60 per cent of its true value. Taking such 

a percentage of the federal valuation of farm lands and buildings as 

given above, we get $23,474,785, which comes interestingly close to the 

county auditors total of $26,148,780. for the same class of property. 

When it is remembered that the census valuations are almost certain to 

be conservative, the figures seem to run together still more closely. 



10 



The total of taxable wealth in the county as shown by the duplicate 
for the current year is $74,223,000. The city of Lancaster furnishes 
$19,000,000 of this, which is approximately $1400 per capita of the 
total population. The total outside of the city of Lancaster is $55r 
223,000, or $1,364 per capita. When the same percentage is applied 
here as in case of land values above, a percentage that in all likelihood 
is far too low as regards personal property, we arrive at a per capita 
wealth in the city of Lancaster of $2,330 and $2,270 outside. 

Population The total population of the county as shown by the 

census is 40,484. This represents an increase of 3.3 per 
cent over the census of 1910, as against an increase for the state at large 
of 20.8. Thirty-five counties grew more rapidly ; but in every one of 
these cases excepting four the growth of population within the decade 
can clearly be ascribed to large or small industrial centers. At least 
twenty other predominately agricultural counties in the state actually 
declined in population during the same period. The growth of the 
county has ever been gradual but substantial. 

Character Conservatism may be said to be a characteristic of the 

of the county generally. Its founders, hailing as they do from 

Population England and Kentucky, bestowed in the beginning a 

heritage of sturdiness, sobriety, and moderation in all 
things. Later a stream of emigrants came from eastern Pennsylvania, a 
goodly proportion of whom were of mixed English, Irish, and Dutch 
ancestry. The present population of the country as a whole embraces 
a considerable element descended from these pioneer stocks. Economic 
success, operating in conjunction with a native interest in settled rural 
life, has made the population up to the present generation willing in gen- 
eral to live their lives thru on the farm. Land tenantry and absentee 
landlordism has grown considerably, to such an extent in fact as to 
affect in a marked way the welfare of the county in general. There are 
in the county at present 1,080 tenants, as against 2,357 owners. This 
represents a gain in tenantry of 17.9 per cent in the last ten years, the 
corresponding gain for the state at large being less than 3 per cent. 

Industries The most important form of industry, aside from farm- 

ing, is the manufacture of glass and glass products, 
all of which is carried on in the city of Lancaster. There are two plants 
producing window glass, two that make miscellaneous glassware, and one 
that makes lenses. These five establishments, employ in all 143 1 per- 
sons. Another small window glass plant located at the village of 
Pleasantville was recently destroyed by fire. Manufacturing of shoes is 
the second industry in importance. This is centered in one large plant, 
also in Lancaster, with 1074 employes. Manufactories of metal products 



II 

are found on only a small scale, there being seven plants, devoted for 
the most part to the making of small types of agricultural and other 
machinery, and engaging a total of 351 employes. A rubber tire manu- 
facturing concern, established three years since, enjoyed a thrifty growth 
until checked by the recent depression in the automobile business. Flour 
milling is of sufficient importance to deserve mention, establishments of 
the kind being found in practically all of the smaller towns as well as 
in the city of Lancaster. 

Business Connected with the flouring mills as well as operating in- 

dependently, are numerous grain elevators scattered over 
the country, thru which the immense annual grain product is handled. 
Other types of merchandizing to be found center around the business of 
farming. The marketing of live-stock is a conspicuous example. 

II. School Population and Attendance 

School The total population, according to the federal census of 

Population 1920, is 40,484. As previously stated this represents an 

and Size increase in ten years of 3.3 per cent. The 1920 school 

of Schools census shows an enumeration of 10,461 youth between 

six and twenty-one years of age. The net enrollment in 
the public schools in the year 1919-20 reached a total of 8092. Includ- 
ing an enrollment of 495 in parochial schools the grand total of pupils 
enrolled in the schools of the county is 8587. It appears, therefore, 
that 25.8 per cent of the total population are of school age, and 21.2 per 
cent are in school. The school enrollment, moreover, represents a little 
over 82 per cent of the enumeration, which is a fairly good showing. 
Rural schools are in general of satisfactory size, the average number of 
pupils to each teacher being 22. The corresponding average for the 
villages is 24, and for the city of Lancaster 29. Returns made by super- 
intendents did not cover completely the situations as to schools having 
an average daily attendance of fewer than ten pupils ; four were reported 
which figure, the surveyor Has reason to believe, represents about half 
of the total number. The public school enrollment by grades is shown 
for the month of October, 1920, in Table I. 



12 



TABLE I 
Enrolment by Districts and Grades, October, 1!)20 



Rural Districts 


1 




















Grades 


1 


2 


3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


8 


9 


10 


11 


12 


Totals 


Amanda Tp 

Berne 


27 
63 
48 
48 
20 
71 
21 
48 
36 
17 
29 
26 
40 


35 

38 
44 
26 
27 
51 
25 
30 
25 
11 
30 
26 
48 


34 
41 
29 
25 
31 
40 
15 
25 
24 
14 
34 
36 
37 


24 
31 
32 
37 

27 
27 
18 
27 
17 
18 
26 
23 
48 


23 
58 
35 
29 
25 
42 
33 
39 
24 
10 
40 
38 
49 


34 
33 
41 
25 
17 
61 
24 
24 
14 
15 
19 
26 
36 


25 
32 
33 
33 
15 
25 
19 
24 
13 
9 
28 
30 
38 


25 
19 
28 
20 
12 
18 
21 
20 
19 
15 
23 
17 
46 










227 


13 


5 


6 


5 


344 




290 


Clearcreek 


18 


10 


12 


4 


287 
174 


Hocking 










335 










176 












237 












172 


Richland 










109 












229 


Violet 


28 
29 


18 
15 


11 
12 


9 
11 


288 


Walnut 


409 






Totals 


4!)4 

21 
28 
14 
34 
11 
12 
15 
14 


416 

23 
31 

7 

26 

8 

8 

12 

11 


3'85 

23 
31 
11 

30 
7 

17 
11 

8 


355 

17 
26 
10 
17 

3 
11 

7 
17 


445 

17 
25 
16 
33 

2 
10 

7 
15 


369 

24 
26 
6 
38 
' 11 
13 
14 
12 


324 

15 
17 

9 
22 

4 
15 

7 
12 


283 

19 
29 

9 
22 

7 
12 

8 
10 


88 

26 
31 

14 
41 
4 
26 
14 
27 


48 

23 
26 
21 
32 


41 

11 

17 
10 
17 


29 

16 
23 
15 
24 


3,277 


Village Districts 
Amanda 


235 


Bremen 


310 




142 


Liberty Union* . . . 


336 

57 


Pleasantville 

Rushville Union* ... 
Sugar Grove 


27 

11 

4 


25 
17 
15 


11 
8 
3 


187 
131 
148 


Totals 


149 


126 


1381 108 
1 


125 


144 


101 


116 


183 


144 


112 


100 


1,546 






Totals— Village 
and Rural 

City of Lancaster. . 


643 
322 


542 
265 


523 
243 


463 
239 


570 
244 


513 
256 


425 
225 


399 

200 


271 
202 


192 
142 


153 
100 


129 

88 


4,823 
2,526 


Grand Totals . . . 


965 


807 


766 


702 


814 

i 


769 


650 


599 


473 


334 


253 


217 


7,349 



* Liberty Union is a joint district embracing Baltimore and Basil villages, 
together vi^ith attached rural territory. Rushville Union was similarly formed by 
agreement between East and West Rushville. 



13 

Relation Abnornicilly laro;c first grade enrollments appear in sev- 

of High eral instances due to the practice still obtaining to some 

School to extent of admitting pupils wb.o have not yet attained 

Elementary the age of six. These early entrants usually repeat, re- 
Enrolment— suiting in a piling up of the enrollment here. There are 
Rural districts, too, showing evidence of irregular progress 

Districts thru the grades, due, in all probability to irregular at- 

tendance, inefficient teaching, lack of pro[)er supervision, 
or a combination of these causes. The percentages of the high school 
enrollment on total enrollment in the townships maintaining high schools 
are as follows: Berne Township, 8.4; Clear Creek, 5.3; Violet, 22.9; 
Walnut, 16.5. For the total of all rural districts the percentage is 6.3. 
This last figure is of little significance, inasmuch as a number of pupils 
resident in each of the townships that are without- high schools are in 
attendance at village high schools, at high schools maintained by other 
township districts, or at the Lancaster city high school. Berne Town- . 
ship contributes a considerable contingent to this last named school and 
a few to Sugar Grove, while a number from Clearcreek Township attend 
high sc^iool at Amanda village, because of readier access, and because 
of the further fact tliat the township has in the past not offered attractive 
advantages in its own school. Reorganization of the township system 
is now being effected, however, which will rectify this situation. Violet 
township stands in marked contrast to Walnut, altho the latter has two 
high schools, nominally of first grade. The explanation lies in the fact 
that Violet is centralized, whereas Walnut by permitting division of the 
energies which it devotes to secondary education has nothing that is at 
all in keeping with its possibilities. 

Relation la the villages the percentages of all pupils in high 

of High school are as follows; yVnianda, 32.4; Bremen, 31.3; 

School tO' Carroll, 42.3; Liberty Union, 33.9; New Salem, 7; 

Elementary Pleasantville, 47.6; Rushville Union, 38.2; Sugar Grove. 
Enrolment — 33.1. For all villages combined the percentage is 34.2. 
Villages For the city of Lancaster it is 21. i. Deducting non- 

resident pupils the percentage of high school pupils en- 
rolled in the xAmanda village high .school, based on the enrollment in all 
grades of the village schools, is 12.2. The like percentage for Bremen is 
15.2; Carroll, 27.4; Liberty Union. 19.9; New Salem, 7; Pleasantville. 
31.8; Rushville Union. 22.9; Sugar Grove, 33.1; for all village districts 
combined 19.5; and for the city of Lancaster, 18.6. Making similar 
deductions in the cases of the rural high schools, there appears to be a 
net enrollment in Berne Township high school of pupils resident in the 
township of only 5.8 per cent of the whole enrollment in all grades 
thruout the township. In Clearcreek 15 per cent of all locally resident 
pupils enrolled are in high school; in Violet 2T.9 ])er cent; in Walnut 



14 • 

i6.5 per cent; and in all rural districts maintaining high schools 14.3 
per cent. These figures indicate quite closely the extent to which the 
respective school systems are holding pupils thru high school ; and yet 
they are not absolutely correct for the reason that small deductions 
should be made also from the elementary enrollment on account of 
tuition pupils. Data on this ix)int unfortunately were not obtained. 
New Salem with its 7 per cent high school enrollment is a striking in- 
stance of the folly of maintaining an impotent third grade high school 
when good first grade high school advantages are accessible to residents 
of the locality. 

Length of As will be observed by reference to Table II the num- 

the Annual ber of days school was in session during the last school 

School year ranges from 154 in Berne and Rushcreek town- 

Term ships to 179^ in the city of Lancaster. The average 

for the rural elementary schools is 162 days, while for 
the village schools, elementary and high, it is 174. The average for rural 
high schools is 164 days. Even in the case of the highest, Lancaster 
city, the number of school days to the year might well be increased. 
Only twenty-three more than half of the working days of the year are 
here devoted to pursuit of education, while in the rural districts only 
eleven more than half are so employed. While children out of school 
in rural localities are not exposed to the moral and physical hazards of 
the city, they do fail in even greater degree to meet with forms of 
stimulus to mental growth such as the school supplies. Furthermore the 
relative absence of social contact during vacation is distinctly to the dis- 
advantage of rural children. Defective social training may be pointed 
out as psrhaps the most glaring deficiency in the life equipment of the 
average rural adult. To inflict upon the child during most of his child- 
hood years the order of life of a near recluse means inevitable perpetua- 
tion, of this deplorable rural weakness. Country children stand distinctly 
in need of enlargement of their opportunity for widely varying, relatively 
free contact with other children, a kind of experience that .is indispensable 
to their proper socialization. The peculiar dangers to which child life in 
vacation time is exposed in the urban communities, moreover, are to be 
obviated most effectively by extending here also the period, in terms of 
both days of the year and in years, during which it is under the control 
of the guiding hand of education. 



15 

TABLE II ' 
Attendance, ]!)li»--2ii 



Rural Districts 



Qc 



'< 



< 



^< 

(L) * 
Oh 





u vr: 1 




(U 1- O 




'H<i 


u 


5 y 


^^ 


J2^ .1 


k in 
ttend 


Pupi 

W 

ot in 






Pc5 


^ 






CL, 



;Ph 



Amanda Tp. 

Berne 

Bloom 

Clearcreek . 
Greenfield . . 
Hocking . . . 

Liberty 

Madison . . . . 
Pleasant . . . 
Richland . . . 
Rushcreek . , 

Violet 

Walnut 



Total 



Village Districts 

Amanda 

Bremen 

Carroll 

Liberty Union . . . 

New Salem 

Pleasantville 

Rushville Union 

Sugar Grove 



2()!) 
418 
;U7 
3! 17 
]8() 
4!)1 
223 
257 
204 
127 
229 

;50i 

420 



191 
299 
220 
227 
123 
349 
181 
185 
154 
81 
183 
275 
373 



71 

71.5 

69.4 

73.9 

06.1 

71.1 

81.2 

72 

75.5 

63.8 

79.9 

91.4 

88.8 



3.749 ! 2.841 75.8 



157 
154 
157 
157 
156 
156 
156 
157 
156 
156 
154 
177 
165 



10 
8 

11 
6 

12 
9 
3 
7 
5 

13 
4 
1 

9 



Total 
Lancaster 



240 
307 ! 
159 I 
335 I 

5(1 : 

182 I 
131 I 
156 1 



209 
253 
133 

278 
46 
146 
108 
138 



87.1 

82.4 

83.6 

83 

92 

80.2 

80.6 

88.5 



178 
178 
180 
178 
170 
173 
176 
158 



1,563 I 1.311 ! 83.9 



81.3 1 179^1 



Enforce- The percent of attendance at school of children enrolled. 

ment of as will be noted by referring again to Table II, rises 

Attendance alcove ninety in only one instance, and al)0ve eighty-live 

in only three others. The percentage for all rural chil- 
dren combined is 75. S, while for all children in the villages it is 83.9. 
Lancaster shows the surprisingly low figure of 81.3, being bcdow the vil- 
lages and only nine units higher than tl:at of the rural districts. The 
apparently inescapable conclusion to l:)e drawn from such a showing is 
that low morale as regards school attendance is widely prevalent. This 
state of affairs as to rural districts is further shown by the fact that only 
274 out of 537 pupils in twenty-three schools in which note was taken, 
a few more than half, were neither absent nor tardy during the month of 
October. Rigorous enforcement of the law is difficult, in the rural sec- 
tions at least, owing to the notion still persistent on a widespread scale 



. 16 

in the minds of rural folk that farm-work or home-work is good and 
sufficient reason for keeping children out of school. Child labor in the 
country, as a matter of fact, is only a little less inexcusable than in the 
city. Further difficulty arises from the fact that local truant officers are 
frequently deterred from doing their duty by unwillingness to incur the 
ill will of neighbors, if not from other less worthy causes. A few 
counties have found a way of obviating these petty local hindrances. 
l]y agreement among all districts the same individual is employed as 
truant officer by all. A more competent person is thus secured, local 
feeling is overcome, and the of^ce, to all practical purposes, is raised to 
somewhat the same level of dignity as that of the county sheriff. The 
success which has attended this kind of arrangement, apparently wherever 
tried, reveals the need of specific provision in the law for a county 
truant officer. Properly he should be appointed by the county board of 
education, and should be an attache of the county superintendent's office. 
Until this development in educational legislation can be brought about, 
the boards of education of Fairfield County would do well to adopt the 
plan of co-operative action described above. School officials should re- 
sort to legal processes as means of securing better school attendance 
more generally than they appear to be doing; but this kind of activity 
should be accompanied by a vigorous campaign of education on the effects 
of good as against poor attendance. Do the people in the rural districts 
realize that as a matter of general practice pupils are absent from school 
practically one week in four ? Have they had opportunity to learn what 
effect this is certain to have upon the progress of their children thru 
school, or upon their accomplishing an adequate preparation for life in 
a period of years of reasonable length? Here assuredly is a topic for 
discussion at community meetings and on every other possible occasion. 

The Age- Only a very superficial study was found possible, un- 

Grade fortunately, of the situation as regards the progress 

Situation pupils are making thru the grades. It consists merely of 

a display of the extent of under-ageness and over-age- 
ness in the various districts in the form of Table HI. It serves the pur- 
pose principally of showing comparative age-grade conditions among the 
districts. The two year span is used as the basis of normal age, i. e., 
pupils 6 and 7 years of age are regarded as being of normal age for the 
first grade, 7 and 8 year-olds for the second, and so on. Hence pupils 
in the first grade who, at the time of the survey, were five years and six 
months of age are regarded as under-ag^and those are regarded as over- 
age who were past 7 years and six months. Likewise pupils in the 
second grade are considered as under-age if they had not at the time of 
the survey passed 6 years and 6 months, and as over-age if they had 
passed 8 years and 6 months. The high percentages in several instances 
of under-age pupils is not by any means conclusive evidence of an equal 
extent of acceleration, for the reason, as previously pointed out, that 



17 

considerable numbers of cbibh'cn enter school before the sixth comes 
to be their nearest l)irth(lay. Over-ageness is c()ntril)uted to in less de- 
gree by late entrants. The wide variation among the districts in both 
under-age and over-age percentages apparently I'uns very much beyond 
the differences existing in native ability of the groups of pupils repre- 
sented; it points rather to lack of unity and concert of effort among 
teachers and supervisors in administration of the curriculum. Consider- 
ing the relatively loose basis upon which the basic age-grade tables were 
constructed, under-ageness to the extent of 12, 13, 16, 17, and 26 per cent 
should prompt investigation as to whether the pupils concerned are able 
to benefit from the work wluch they are attempting, while over-ageness 
running to as high as 24, and beyond that to even. 44, per cent should 
be regarded as the signal for corrective measures vigorously applied. 



TABLE III 
Ace-Grade of Pupils, Octocor, 1!I'20 



Rural Districts 


0) 
M 
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3 


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■S 

u 




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H 


c 
U 
u 


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u 


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6 

c 
u 

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Rank, Basis of 
Over-Ageness 


Amanda Tp 

Berne 


2:5 
1 

27 

17 



25 
11 
28 

1 

3 



37 

24 


14:) 
222 
.196 
198 
138 
197 
152 
177 
139 
78 
174 
208 
273 


55 

121 

07 

I i 

30 
113 
13 
32 
32 
28 
55 
43 
112 


227 
344 
290 
287 
174 
335 
170 
237 
172 
109 
229 
288 
409 


10 

9 
6 

7 
6 

12 

3 


13 
6 


60 
05 
68 
67 
79 
59 
86 
75 
82 
71 
70 
72 
07 


21 
35 
23 

27 
21 
34 
8 
13 
18 
20 
24 
15 
27 


8 
13 


Bloom 


6 


Clearcreek 

Greenfield 

Hocking 


11 

5 

12 


Liberty 

Madison 


1 
2 


Pleasant 

Richland 

Rushcreek 

Violet 

Walnut 


4 
9 
7 
3 
10 






Totals 


1!)7 

30 
48 
12 

1 
15 
27 



25 

1(10 

1 

1 357 

[ 170 


2,290 

159 

208 

109 

311 

30 

153 

73 

99 


784 

46 
54 
21 
24 



50 
24 


3,277 

235 
310 
142 
336 
57 
187 
131 
148 




13 
16 

•8 


26 

14 
1 

17 


70 

08 
07 
77 
93 
03 
82 
55 
07 


24 

19 
17 
15 

7 
11 

4 
44 
16 




Village Districts 

Amanda 

Bremen 


7 



Carroll 


4 


Liberty Union 





New Salem 


3 




1 


Rushville Union 

Sugar Grove 


8 
5 






Totals 


1 , 148 

3,444 
1,944 


238 

1,022 
412 


1,546 

4,823 
2,526 


10 

7 
7 


74 

72 
77 


16 

21 
16 




Village and Rural 

City of Lancaster 




Grand Totals 


527 


5,388 


1,434 


7,349 

1 


7 


73 


20 






i8 

Corrective What are these corrective measures? Briefly, they are 

MeSisures of two kinds: (i) close study of the age-grade situation 

with a view to discovering to what extent over-ageness 
may be due to repeating grades as against mere late entrance into school ; 
and (2) investigation as to the workableness of the curriculum as to 
both adaptation of materials assigned to the different grades and its 
elasticity, by virtue of which the needs of rather widely differing abilities 
in the same grade are met. The first of the two foregoing lines of study 
would suggest such measures as the following: determination of ages 
upon a definite uniform basis; working up age-grade data as far back as 
records will permit ; instituting a uniform cumulative system of pupil 
accounting thruout all the schools ; taking note of the extent of late and 
early entrance and of non-promotion ; making use of the best available 
means of measuring abilities of pupils. The second field of study 'would 
of necessity involve the whole instructional force in analysis of the 
curriculum in the light of proximate and ultimate objectives to be at- 
tained; weighing of subject matter on the basis of rationally chosen 
criteria of values; and working out the irreducible minimum of essentials 
for each grade to be taken by pupils of minimum ability to pass the grade, 
with supplementary material answering to the needs of those of varying 
higher capacities. It should be borne in mind in all this that the boy 
or girl of superior powers is the one whose advancement it is, of most 
importance to safeguard. 



HI, The Curriculum 

Basic Altho there is nominal uniformity in the work covered 

Curricular in the various grades and subjects, both elementary and 

Organization secondary, it is not regulated on the basis of a well 
worked out curriculum. The supervisory force has in 
view the development of a detailed elementary curriculum, but there is 
no organized study going on in the direction of such an ultimate achieve- 
ment. Assignments in the various elementary grades are made on the 
basis of the text-books in use, a certain section of each book being marked 
out as the alloted work to he covered in a given grade during a given 
period of time. There are no printed or mimeographed syllabi m the 
hands of the teacliers for their guidance. In view of the limited contact 
with teachers which superintendents, aside from those in the village and 
consolidated schools, can maintain, owing to the number under each one's 
charge and their scatterment, the present arrangement should be per- 
mitted only for such a minimum length of time as may indispensably be 
required for completion of the curricular organization which the super- 
intendents have in view. 



19 

Cooperation The making- of a complete curriculum will necessitate 
of Forces in the enlistment in co-operative work of all of the in- 
Curriculum structional forces, including teachers as well as super- 

Making intendents,- if the result desired is to he attained. By 

reason of their constant and intimate contact with chil- 
dren, the teachers are in position to contribute invaluable aid, particularly 
on the point of the selection of workable classroom materials and de- 
vices. Committees of teachers should be organized, therefore, on the 
basis of grades and subjects, each one to cover a subject or a limited 
number of subjects for a certain grade or group of grades. These com- 
mittees may be expected to produce worth-while results only if their 
work is permitted to spread over a maximum of three grades to each 
committee. Exception to this may be justified in minor subjects but cer- 
tainly not in the fundamentals. The function of these committees will be, 
not to turn out a finished product, but to recommend material. Their 
contributions should be put into the hands of a final reviewing committee, 
composed again in part of teachers, the county superintendent as chair- 
man of this committee being the final arbiter as to what shall go in and 
in what form. Obviously only select teachers in point of competency 
should attain membership on these committees. It will not necessarily 
defeat this end if all other teachers are given some voice in committee 
selections. In fact the opposite is likely to result if mutual acquaintance 
among teachers has been furthered properly, and if the process of selec- 
tion is made to involve full discussion of the qualities of fitness required. 
Adoption of some such plan of co-operation, besides being in the interest 
of a creditable kind of finished product, will furnish occasion to teachers 
for serious study of curriculum problems. The teachers themselves, and 
likewise the school system, may be expected to reap benefits accordingly. 
It will all tend, at the least, toward their more intelligent use of subject 
and grade syllabi when these are ultimately ]nit in their hands. 

Vocational Aside from agriculture and home-making no vocational 

Life and the pursuits in communities outside of the county seat are 
Curriculum of sufiicient importance to claim any considerable recog- 

nition, unless it may be business. Indeed the elements 
of business would merit consideration in curriculum making for these 
communities by virtue of its essential relation to education for the farm 
and the home. These types of vocational demand are not as yet suffi- 
ciently reflected in what the schools ofifer in their upper-grade and high- 
school courses. Marked expansion in the offerings of the high schools 
in agriculture and household arts took place at the opening of the current 
school year, but only here and there does there appear to l)e any con- 
sistent attempt to relate instruction in the higher grades to these dom- 
inant community interests. In the contemplated revision of the ele- 
mentary curriculum these interests should be kept constantly in the fore- 



20 • 

front as a principal criterion for judging the worth of subject matter 
to be offered. 

Texts and There is complete uniformity of textbooks in all the 

Reference schools in the county school district. Lancaster texts 

Books are different, but not wholly so. The uniform list in 

use thruout the county was selected by the superintend- 
ents, and on their recommendation adopted by the various district boards 
of .education. The list in general is a commendable one. With very 
infrequent exceptions pupils are supplied with the required texts. Widely 
varying conditions obtain as regards the supply of supplementary texts 
that are at hand for the use of pupils. Six one-room schools visited 
were found without supplementary readers of any kind. 

Libraries Unabridged dictionaries, usually well worn and in many 

instances altogether out of date, are to be found in, more 
than half of the schools, while the rest are supplied with dictionaries 
of smaller sorts. The latter, if not too small, are usually more serviceable 
in the average elementary school, hence this point is brought out for 
commendation rather than the opposite. Other reference works are 
found in very limited degree. Nearly all schools are supplied with 
some sort of cyclopedia, but it is scarcely ever an up-to-date standard 
work and all too frequently is in utterly dilapidated condition. Of the 
forty- four one room schools visited six were found to be without any 
libraries whatsoever, while eight were fovmd to possess only very poor 
ones. One of the schools without libraries has a neat bookcase but there 
is not a library book in it. The remaining thirty may be regarded as 
only barely sufficient for even the most necessary purposes, excepting 
two cases. The libraries in these instances contain some books suitable 
for use by adults of the district, but not by any means a wealth of ma- 
terial contributory to classroom work. There is particular dearth of 
material, practically everywhere, relating to elementary science, agricul- 
ture, and rural life. There is general need, also, of an increased supply 
of history stories and of books furthering good citizenship. Libraries 
with few exceptions are kept in cases of acceptable sort. In these ex- 
cepted instances open shelves are used, and books are thus wastefully ex- 
posed to accumulations of dust. One school was found where books were 
thrown upon the book case shelves in the worst imaginable jumble. The 
victrola owned by this same school was out in the neighborhood, the 
teacher knew not where. Such negligence on the part of a teacher would 
seem to be the signal for pointing him. to the way of quickest exit from 
his position, and from the profession. 

Instructional Schools are generally supplied with maps in numbers 

Supplies each ranging from one to eight. A few have none, 

while a limited numl)er have only such as have been 

ol)tained free of cost, prol)ably by the teachers, from the state or national 



21 

government or from issues by business firms for advertising purposes. 
Approximately half of the schools have ample sets that are of good 
quality. None, however, have been provided as yet with maps showing 
territorial readjustments in Europe or elsewhere occasioned by the 
World War. Schools without maps, and a few others, are also without 
globes. Only such instructional supplies as must be regarded as in- 
dispensable are at hand. Part of these, such as paper, (examination 
paper excepted) pencils, and rulers, are furnished by the pupils them- 
selves. Busy work material, number frames, mensuration blocks, ordin- 
ary measures of weight and capacity, illustrative pictures and models, 
victrolas or phonographs, or materials for handwork of any kind are 
rarely to be found in the schools. An organ, singularly, was found in 
each of 24 schools, or more than half of all visited. Due to the fact 
that a number of the one room schools of the county were "standardized" 
under former laws, these are supplied with small sets of apparatus for 
teaching agriculture, but unfortunately there is evidence that they are 
little used in most instances and in some not at all. A good part of 
some of these sets, in fact, seems to have been lost or destroyed. 

Daily A uniform schedule of daily exercises, worked out by 

Schedules the superintendents, is in use thruout all the one-room 

schools excepting those of Walnut Township. Two 
other schools visited were found not to be conforming to it; one of 
these was in Rushcreek Township and the other in Pleasant. This 
regulation schedule is given below. The placement of subjects is to be 
commended ; but certain questions are raised by throwing the time ap- 
pointments into the form of a weekly time table as given also below in 
Table V. 

D-^ILY SCHEDULE 
Forenoon — 

Minutes 

Allotted Exercises 

10 Opening Exercises 

1-5 r)th and 6th History and Hygiene 

If) 7th and 8th History and Sanitation 

10 1st Reading 

10 2nd Reading 

IT) 3rd and 4th Reading 

15 Writing Every Day 



-15 Recess 

-15 5th and 6th Arithmetic 

-15 7th and 8th Arithmetic 

-15 1st and 2nd Arithmetic 

-15 3rd and 4th Arithmetic 

- 7 5th and 6th Spelling 

- 8 7th and 8th Spelling, 



22 



Afternoon — 

Minutes 



Allotted Exercises 

5 Study 

5 3rd and 4th Spelling 

15 5th and 6th Language 

15 7th and 8th Grammar 

10 1st Reading 

10 ■2nd Reading 

15 3rd and 4th Reading 

15 5th and (Jth Geograpliy 



15 Recess 

15 7th and 8th Geography and Agriculture 

15 1st and 2nd Language 

15 3rd and 4th Language 

15 5th and Cth Reading 

15 7h and 8th Reading and Civics 

Fifth and Sixth History will recite on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 
Hygiene in the same grades on Thursdays and Fridays. 

Seventh and Eighth Grade History and Physiology will alternate in the same 
way. 

Seventh and Eighth Grade Geography will alternate with Agriculture. Agri- 
culture to be given on Thursdays and Fridays. 

Seventh and Eighth Grade Reading will alternate with Civics which will recite 
on Fridays. 

Alternate Plan: In 1!)20, '22, '24, '2(), etc., the work outlined for the 3rd, 
5th and 7th grades will be given; in li»21, '23, '25, '27, etc., the work outlined for 
the 4th, 6th and 8th grades will be given. 

Music, Drawing and the study of pictures should be given some study during 
the week. 



23 



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24 

Some- of the questions which the foregoing distribution of time 
suggests are these: Is it justifiable that more than a fourth of all in- 
struction time should be devoted to reading? Should the English group 
occupy more than three-fifths of- it? Is it defensible to provide no time 
at all for art or motor activities? Are the studies having paramount 
socializing effect sufficiently emphasized? These questions are not to be 
answered in the same breath with the asking, to be sure, when the 
peculiar difficulties attending administration of the curriculum in the 
one-room school are kept in mind. Despite these difficulties, however, 
it seems that some readjustments are called for. Compare with the 
foUowinsr: 



DISTRIBUTION OF TIME AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL" SUBJECTS 

The question of how much time to allot to the various subjects taught in the 
elementary grades is always pertinent. Every superintendent and teacher in Ohio 
is deBnitely concerned with this question. The practices followed when schedules 
a«e constructed are often the result of personal opinion rather than being based on 
usages. For its suggestive value a table is presented below, based upon the prac- 
tices in between fifty and sixty cities of the United States. The figures used repre- 
sent the per cent of school time devoted to each subject in each grade from one to 
six. Two percentages are given in each instance to show the average range. It can 
be stated with a reasonable degree of assurance that if your time distribution for 
elementary subjects falls within the ranges indicated or close to either of the two 
figures, you are following the best accredited practice. 

It will be observed that reading. in the first grade claims in the neighborhood 
of one-third of the school time (30% — 35%). Reading decreases in amount in 
each succeeding grade while language increases in its share of attention from the 
first grade to the sixth, as does arithmetic also, although these two subjects hold 
a comparatively uniforfm level from the fourth grade on. Many school programs 
do not follow this orderly sequence of increase or decrease. Other points need 
to be noted. Consider a first grade schedule, for instance, which gives spelling and 
language 20 minutes each out of a 220 minute school day. This is about 9% for 
each. Reference to the table below shows this to be normal for language but about 
double the ordinary allotment for spelling. 

Not all the subjects taught are listed below. At any rate, most interest will 
center in the first five. Many schools disregard geography in the first two or even 
the first three grades. 



Subjects 



Per cent of total time alloted to each subject 



Grade i Grade 
I I II 



Grade Grade Grade 
III IV V 



Grade 
VI 



Reading ! 30-35 i 25-80 

Language 8-10 ! 8-11 

4-6 6-7 

5-7 9-U 

5-6 5-6 

6-7 6-7 

5-6 5-6 

i-1 4-1 



Language 

Spelling 

Arithmetic 

Writing 

Drawing 

Music 

Geography 

History 

Physical Training 



4-5 



4-5 



20-25 
10-12 
6-7 
14-16 
5-6 
6-7 
5-6 
2-5 



3-5 



15-20 
11-13 
6-8 
15-17 
5-6 
6-7 
5-6 
8-10 
5-8 
3-5 



13-15 

12-13 
5-7 

15-17 
4-6 
6-7 
5-6 

10-12 
5-8 
3-5 



12-14 

12-13 

4i-6i 

15-18 

4-5 

6-7 

5-6 

10-13 

7-10 

3-5 



25 

School The limitations just referred to would seem to con- 

Credit for stitute urgent reason for utilizing to the utmost extent 

Out-of-School i)ossible outside activities of i)upils as means of sup- 
Work planting the school curriculum. Supervised home project 
work, for which school credit is given, is the soundest 
way of accomplishing this end. Thus far nothing of the kind seems to 
have been attempted in Fairfield County. This departure in educational 
work, along with boys' and girls' club work and credit for private iii- 
structiOn in music, may well enlist the serious consideration of the super- 
visory force. 

IV. Buildings and Grounds 

Buildings The school buildings of the county have not been given 

detailed study in the course of the survey; especially is 
this true of those in the county seat and the villages. The Lancaster city 
high school building and the ward building known as the North School 
are creditable structures. The same may be said of the buildings hous- 
ing both grades and high sldiool at Liberty Union, Stoutsville, Sugar 
Grove, Amanda, Rushville, Union, Pickerington, Millersport. and Car- 
roll, and of the consolidated grade schools at Oakland in Clearcreek 
Township and Cedar Heights in Hocking township, and the grade build- 
ing in Bremen. Aside from three modern attractive instances; the one- 
room buildings stand in marked contrast to about everything seen out- 
side of schools thruout the county in the course of the survey. This is 
not to say that every other country school building is in decrepit state, 
for about half are in good repair and otherwise cared for at least as 
well as they deserve. None beyond the three excellen.t new buildings 
previously mentioned, are at all attractive, or constructed in keeping 
with fundamental principles of school architecture. Twelve of the forty- 
four observed are so bad as to excite wonder at the tolerance respecting 
them of the people whose children must sit in them thru what can not 
under such physical surroundings be otherwise than dreary school 
months. They are unquestionably a reproach to the intelligence, and 
the execrable outside toilets connected with them in many instances to 
the decency, of the people amongst whom they are suffered to survive. 
There are 93 one-room school buildings in the county, hence, if the same 
proportion holds thruout as amongst those observed, a total of 25 should 
be wrecked without delay or else used as places for storing farm machin- 
ery or housing other farm animals than children. Applying the propor- 
tion jjrinciple once more, 87 buildings throuout the entire county are 
indicated as being of the roofed-in-box type, with cross lights in every 
case ; a satisfactory outfit of window shades in not more than three- 
fourths of the cases; double desks in one building in nine, and desks 
seldom sufficiently varied in size or properly placed ; blackboards only 
infrequently placed suitably for small children ; unjacketed stoves in a 



26 

third of the cases, and heater-ventilator apparatus in only a third. The 
situation as to buildings in Fairfield County is such as to suggest not re- 
construction, but rather, in view of road conditions and the general pros- 
perity of the county, complete abandonment for schools of the cen- 
tralized type. 

School The interior appearance of school houses is in general 

Beautification only fairly satisfactory. Walls, if decorated at all, are 
painted or papered, frequently without regard to hy- 
gienic requirements as to color. Good pictures in most cases adorn the 
walls, however, and in a few instances attractive and educationally sig- 
nificant displays of pupils' work. The good pictures evidently have not 
seldom suggested doing away with the poor ones still found here and 
there in conjunction with the good. Only one single room school was 
found where any serious attempt seems to have been made in the direc- 
tion of beautifying the school grounds, altho soil conditions are highly 
favorable practically everywhere. The fact that rare landscaping pos- 
sibilities in some situations have not been utilized is greatly to l)e de- 
plored. 

V. The Teacher and His Work 

Qualifications The basic intelligence and personality factors among the 
cf Teachers teachers, as judged by general estimate only, are not 
by any means so high as is to be desired. On this basis 
they stand on a distinctly lower plane than other professional classes. 
The spirit of sincerity in which they devote themselves to their work, 
with noticeable exceptions, is, however, to be warmly commended. The 
situation as regards education of the teachers is shown by Table V. 
This table is based upon reports made by the superintendents. It shows 
that 34 out of 151 teachers, 22^^ per cent, in the rural districts have not 
completed standard four years high school courses. The corresponding 
proportion for the villages is 9 out of 64, or 14 per cent, while for the 
city of Lancaster it is 7 out of 86, or 8 per cent. The fact that a total 
of eighteen teachers at work in the rural and village districts hold only 
temporary or emergency certificates would indicate that this number, or 
8.4 per cent of the two groups combined have not the minimum of 
thirty weeks of professional training required by law at the time of 
issuance of their certificates. The fact that only seven of the rural 
teachers have high school and college credits amounting to at least six 
years would indicate that not more than this number out of the 75 holders 
of diplomas are graduates of two-year normal courses, the remaining 
68 having come from the local county normal school or from county 
normals in bordering counties. On the basis of similar reasoning there 
appear to be 8 holders of two-year diplomas among village teachers and 



27 

22 in Lancaster. In view of the critical conditions as regards teacher 
sni>ply thru which we have been passing", this showing is not cUscrechtahle. 
The superintendents show a commendaljle interest in obtaining teachers 
of the best possible preparation for their work, and their intiuence ujjon 
boards of education and the puiblic with respect to this im])ortant jjoint 
is showing results. 



28 



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30 • 

Classroom An attempt was made to rate all teacliers visited on a 

Efficiency of general merit basis. Five classifications wtre used, 
Work which may be designated A, 11, C, D, and E, the.highest 

group being the "A" group. Teachers appearing to 
show rather exceptional merit were thrown into this group. Those 
scarcely worthy of being tolerated in classroom work were put in the 
lowest or "E" class ; those doing acceptably good work in class "C" ; 
and those appearing to be intermediate in point of excellence between the 
middle and the extreme groups in class "B" or class "D". The distribu- 
tion of the 44 teachers cb.^erved. and the proportionate grouping of all 
rural teachers came out as follows : 

Group J Group B Group C Group D Group E Tolals 
o 7 l(i !) 7 U 

17 24 55 31 24 151 

Inasmuch as group "C" represents teachers the least efficient of 
whom are barely acceptable, it would appear that, according to the 
judgment of the surveyor, 55, or more than one-third of all, of the 
teachers in the service of the schools are good enough to be retained only 
until such time as better ones can be secured to take their places. The 
"A" group on the other hand are doing rather admirable work, demon- 
strating cjuite conclusively that, even under the severe handicap of eight 
grades to one teacher, it is possible to show the children the way of 
hai)py achievement in their school life. As the surveyor's observations 
of teachers went on, and ever since they were concluded, the wish has 
recurred over and over, that every citizen of Fairheld County might be 
afiforded opportunity to see with his own eyes Iwxv iitticJi actual difference 
there is bctiveen, the work of a class "A" teacher and that of a class "E". 
It is very much to be desired, too, that those of class "E" should be per- 
mitted to observe some out of class "A" at work; it might have a tend- 
ency to make them at least a little less hopeless cases. That such kind of 
opportunity might be afforded is the reason for the provision in the law 
authorizing a county-wide schedule of inter-visitation among teachers. 

Cooperation There is a rather pronounced tendency in the teacher 
of Teachers toward individualism in the lives they lead, from the 
standpoint of both their professional consciousness and 
their social contacts. The relative isolation involved in working in the 
one-room school is in all probability tb.e principal cause. The tendency 
is more pronounced, too, in teachers of little or no training, which fact 
would seem to point to lack of training as a second cause. Teachers are 
usually fairly open-minded in their reception of suggestions of superin- 
tendents or others competent to advise them ; and yet, in some cases 
suggestions appear to be only courteously listened to, and in still others, 
happily only a few, however, they are apparently warded off. Among 
these last are a few individuals who seem to arrogate to themselves a 



31 

good deal of iniportancc by virtue of tlieir being clerks of the boards of 
education employing them, as well as teachers. Creation on the part of 
boards of education of this dual relationship is distinctly bad policy, and 
besides it has been held by the Attorney (General of the state to be illegal. 
Clerks can not legally draw and sign board of education warrants for 
their salaries as teachers; and as a consequence they stand a chance of 
being required at some time to repay money drawn on warrants so 
issued. While no serious criticism seems called for, generally speaking, 
as regards teachers' willingness to work in harmony with their superin- 
tendents and their aliility to i)rotit from criticism, it is quite obvious that 
they get little or nothing in the way of helpful influence from one an- 
other. There is clear need of the fostering of association of teachers 
with one another for purely social ends as well as for professional dis- 
cussions. 

Experience Tal)le number VI showing experience of teachers, like 

of Teachers that for training' and for salaries, is made up on the 
basis of reports rendered by su];erintendents. The pres- 
ent year is counted as one full year, if service l)egan at the opening of 
schools in the fall. The medians, computed for districts individually and 
for groupings as in the case of training and of salaries, furnish basis for 
interesting comparisons. The central tendency in experience runs lower 
in the rural districts than elsewhere, as was true of training. The ex- 
perience medians of seven rural districts is below, and six above the 
similar median for all rural teachers ; in village districts five are below 
and three above. 



32 





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34 

Salaries The distribution of teachers on the basis of their annual 

of Teachers salaries is shown in Table VII. All teachers are in- 
cluded regardless of whether they serve in the grades or 
high schools, or in regular or special subjects. Medians have been cal- 
culated for all the districts individually and for four different groupings. 
The fact that all teachers are included raises somewhat the medians in 
districts maintaining high schools, but only by small amounts. They may 
be accepted, therefore, as indicating in the main the salary status of ele- 
mentary teachers. It is not surprising to find that none of the districts 
have seen fit to employ teachers at less than $800 a year and thereby 
forfeit under the law percentage-of-salary distributions out of state and 
county funds. Altho the salaries paid in the rural districts are still some- 
what lower than elsewhere, the situation in this respect is considerably 
improved over former times. The country people are apparently at last 
coming to understand that it does not pay to buy their teaching service 
in the cheapest market. Still, the largest salary group in the case of the 
rural districts is the one nearest to $800, with the median at $922. The 
median salary of village teachers is seventy-two dollars higher and of 
city teachers two hundred twenty dollars higher. The exceptionally 
high figure paid in Violet township is due, not to the fact that the schools 
of this township are centralized, but that this community has learned 
that it pays to attach to its teaching positions salaries that are consistent 
with "right of choice". Adoption of the same policy is signified in the 
case of the village of Sugar Grove. Eight rural districts show lower, and 
five higher salary standards than that indicated by the median for all 
teachers combined. Similarly four villages are lower and four are higher 
than the central tendency in all village teachers' salaries. 



35 






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37 

Living Only the most casual kind of in(|uiry was made into this 

Conditions phase of the teacher situation, (jeneral satisfaction with 

of Teachers living conditions obtains so far as expressions elicited 
from teachers on the subject show. The homes gener- 
ally are good, and teachers, whether living at home or not, seem to be 
satisfactorily housed. 



VI. Supervision 

The Super- All of the supervisory functions are vested' in the county 
visory Corps and local superintendents, assisted by principals in the 
high schools, the consolidated grade schools, and the 
Lancaster ward buildings. Each of the villages has its local superintend- 
. ent, some of whose time is devoted to teaching. The districts made up 
for the most part or entirely of one-room schools are supervised by four 
district superintendents, and in the case of one township directly by the 
county superintendent. Aside from those working in this one township 
the teachers receive not more than one or two visits by the county super- 
intendent in the course of the yearly term of school. Considering the 
fact, however, that the county superintendent must carry the responsibil- 
ity for dealing successfully with the larger administrative problems, and 
that he must of necessity deal officially with large numbers of individuals 
in the course of time, besides attending meetings and conferences of 
various kinds almost without number, his visits to schoolrooms can not 
possibly be frequent. The districts in order of their sizes are given be- 
low with the approximate area of each. 

1. Berne, Rushcreek, Richland, Pleasant, New Salem; 144 sq. mi. 

2. Amanda, Bloom, Clearcreek, Madison; 138 sq. mi. 

3. Liberty, Greenfield. Liberty Union; 84 sq. mi. 

4. Walnut ; 48 sq. mi. 

Restricting Table VII shows important conditions as regards super- 

Conditions vision in all districts, including the city of Lancaster. 

In estimating the average number of hours monthly to 
each teacher, twenty is taken as the number of working days per month 
and six as the number of hours per day. No allowance has been made 
for time consumed in going to and from schools, which with the super- 
intendents of scattered rural schools is a large factor. Just what pro- 
portion of time is required for travel is difficult to determine, but in the 
largest supervision districts it would probably serve to reduce by one- 
third the estimated time available to each teacher. This would of neces- 
sity mean that about a third of the cost per teacher is attributable not to 
supervision but to travel. It should be pointed out, however, that the loss 
of time here referred to is reduced somewhat by the fact that super- 
intendents as a rule use intermission periods for travel from one school 



38 

to another. The proportion of time devoted I)y superintendents to teach- 
ing is based upon the assumption that six high school class periods of 
teaching in conjunction with the time required for preparation constitute 
a working day. It is coming to be generally accepted that this is an ex- 
cessively heavy day's work. The point to be noted here is that if a super- 
intendent teaches as many as hve periods; preparing as he should day by 
day for his teaching, he will tind it necessary to give to supervision less 
than the one-sixth of his whole time which is allowed in such a case. 
This narrowly limited amount of time, furthermore, is encroached upon 
in almost fatal degree by clerical work and petty incidents of manage- 
ment. Fairfield County is by no means an exception in the need here 
revealed of education of the public on the point of the waste involved 
in permitting these lesser responsibilities to draw upon the time of the 
more highly paid school employes. Clerical help, if kept in the superin- 
tendent's offices for only part time, can satisfactorily take care of such 
matters as writing letters and other communications, making out orders 
and reports, hearing minor complaints and answering questions, most of 
which do not require the attention of an expert, and dispensing supplies. 
The services of advanced pupils are available for this purpose everywhere 
at light cost and they can readily be trained to meet the requirements in 
altogether satisfactory fashion. The larger schools nearly everywhere 
supplement their clerical force by occasional student help ; why can not 
the smaller ones avail themselves of it more generally also? From the 
student's standpoint the experience proves educative always, besides 
bringing in compensation which, although small, is often needed. It is 
nothing short of folly to permit the continuance of conditions requiring 
that the time of superintendents, costing at the rate of a dollar an hour, 
should be consumed in a form of service that can be supplied usually at 
less than half as much. The time thus freed may then be devoted, as 
it should be, to work on the larger administrative problems and to real, 
constructive supervision of classroom teaching. 



39 

TABLE VIII 
Conditions Attending Supkkvision 



Rural Districts 



r^ ^ 



imo 



w 



a. 

3 1) 

c 



o 

o o u 

O c S 

o-r, B 

Ph 









UTS 






XS-c <; b 3 (u 
5 > « a3 .S ^„ O -^ 4^ 






W 



Supervision Dist. No. 
1 — Berne, Pleasant, | 
Richland, Rushcreek I 
Tps. and New Salem | 
Village I 

Supervision Dist. No. 
2 — Amanda, Bloom, ] 
Clearcreek and Mad- 
ison Twp 

3 — Greenfield, 
Liberty Twps. and 
Liberty Union 

Supervision Dist. No. 4 
— Walnut Twp 

Hocking 

Violet 



Total 



Total 



*'J,40<) 



2. GOO 



Village Districts 
Amanda Village .... 

Bremen 

Carroll 

Pleasantville 

Rushville Union . . . 

Sugar Grove 

City of Lancaster 
City Superintendent ... I 
*Other superintendence! 

Total superintendence] 



7i 



4.5 



40 3 



m\ 3 7/111 



Total I 2,400| 

I I 

Total i 2,500| ] 23| 5^ 

Supervised by county superintendent 



333 $1,667 I 



Total I 
t2 11/121 



462 
400 
563 

1,500 
250 

1,412 

3,300 
5,248 



1,388 
1.600 1 
1 , 1271 

3001 
1,250 1 

70(), 



13 



6 

8 

86| 
86 



17/13 



2 

5 5/7 
2 6/7 
3i 
10 

1§ • 
41/14 



t3 11/121 18. 5481 I $86| 5i 



$53 

65 

73 

100 
26 



58 
83 
80 
43 
42 
177 

38 
61 



* Rendered by one high school principal and four grade principals. 
jTo be read as equivalent to 2 11/12 times, and 3 11/12 times respectively, the 
full time of one person. 



Cooperation The fact that district men are practically independent of 
cf Superin- the county superintendent as regards their tenure of 

tendents position, has resulted in some counties in pronounced 

lack of team-work in the corps of superintendents. 
Looseness of organization in the county administrative corps is con- 
trihuted to, also, jjy tlie provision in the law, which has hecotne familiarly 
known 1)y the section number "forty-seven-forty", authorizing the with- 
drawal of certain districts from district supervision as regularly con- 
stituted. No sooner does this withdrawal take place in many cases than 
the districts assume to have withdrawn also from jurisdiction of the 
county superintendent and the county board of education. This miscon- 



40 

ception, fortunately, does not appear to atTect at all seriously the situa- 
tion in Fairfield County. Aside from one or two bits of contrary evi- 
dence coming to the notice of the surveyor, everything seemed to point to 
rather complete co-operation and good will. The superintendents seem 
to consult together freely with due frequency, and their meetings give 
evidence of their ability to develop agreement to such extent as results 
m a satisfactory degree of concert of effort in the field. 

Efficiency of The degree to which the superintendents of village and 
Sui>ervisioin consolidated schools really help the teachers was not 
ascertained. The supervision of rural teachers, on the 
other hand, was studied to an extent sufficient to reveal noteworthy 
features of merit, and certain aspects, also, with regard to which im- 
provement should be attempted. 

Faithfulness Supervision so far as it was observed is strong as re- 
to Duty gards the closeness of contact maintained by superin- 

tendents with classroom work^ and with the trend of 
thought amongst board members and the public. Schools are visited 
with due frequency, quite creditable frequency, in fact, considering the 
distances that in many instances have to be covered. Superintendents, 
moreover, attend regularly the meetings of all of their boards of educa- 
tion. A great saving of time is effected in connection with both of these 
types of service by virtue of the fact that all the district men own their 
own automobiles. Contrary to assertions loosely made by citizens here 
and there, the district superintendents of schools, in Fairfield County at 
least, may. truly be said to be hard-working men. 

Intelligent The superintendents may be commended, moreover, on 

and Tactful the helpful character of the suggestions, which they offer 
Suggestions to teachers in the course of visitations. These show 
discriminative insight into the processes of instruction 
and ability to help teachers toward correction of erroneous methods. All 
criticism, too, seems to be oft'ered in a spirit and manner which ought 
to awaken only warmth of endeavor on the part of teachers. The con- 
formity of teachers to curricular assignments is properly noted by super- 
intendents, altho strict regulation on this point is impracticable in the ab- 
sence of sufficient subject-matter syllabi. One superintendent, in spite of 
this administrative want, seems to know quite intimately the state of 
progress in all subjects of the various schools and grades under his 
charge. Standardized tests of pupils' achievements have been used 
hitherto only occasionally as a matter of experiment. The superintend- 
ents are to be commended for their decision to apply them in a systematic 
way during the current year year at least in the subjects of reading, 
writing, spelling, and arithmetic. 



41 

Acceptance of Jii matters of discipline and in difficulties arising from 
Responsibility otlier causes, the superintendents show a disposition to 
sustain their full share of responsibility. In one school, 
badl}^ behaved thru a year or two past, a teacher was saved from failure 
in pupil control by virtue of unstinted support on the part of the super- 
intendent. Another promising young man teacher was stimulated to 
manly acknowledgement of excessive use of corporal punishment in a 
certain instance, thus averting serious trouble with an irate parent and 
doubtless preventing withdrawal from the profession of the young man 
himself. In a third case the superintendent was observed to be helping 
in yeoman fashion toward allaying a condition of factionalism, arising 
largely from the influence of a mischievous ex-teacher of the sort having 
earned enforced retirement. Less conspicuous points of evidence, in 
addition to the instances just cited, show abundantly that superintendents 
are exercising a satisfactory degree of moral courage in their support of 
teachers. Their moral courage comes into evidence further in their dis- 
position to discontinue the services of teachers who show a rather hope- 
less lack of merit. In this respect they frequently stand in marked con- 
trast to boards of education. 

Need of Pre- The superintendents generally owe it to themselves and 
arrangement to the schools to curtail somewhat expenditure of their 
energies in doing relatively petty errands of boards of 
education and others. The disposition to be as useful as possible, out of 
which this shortcoming arises, merits commendation ; but more discrim- 
inating care should be exercised in electing always the highest forms of 
usefulness. There should be a greater amount of effort put forth, also, 
toward anticipating conditions and needs, or working according to pre- 
arranged plans. Otherwise there is danger of being involved in a mad 
rushing about in meeting arising eventualities. There is particular need 
of application of this policy to the procuring of needed equipment and 
supplies. Books should be at hand and needed apparatus and materials 
for the year should be bought and put where needed by the opening day 
of school, so that classes may not be put to the necessity of doing little 
more than to mark time while awaiting the arrival of things needed in 
successful prosecution of their work. 

Teachers* It appears also that more serious attention should be 

Meetings given to teachers' meetings and teachers' study groups. 

The latter would include classes in college or university 
extension work, of which the two classes of about twenty members each 
meeting weekly at Lancaster and Bremen are examples. These classes 
naturally include largely teachers living in the county seat, or Bremen, 
or in contiguous localities. Some few travel long distances to attend 
these classes while others residing within easy reach are not enrolled. 



42 

Smaller groups, pursuing studies calculated to promote general scholar- 
ship and improved methods of work, should be developed in all parts 
of the county. This form of etTort might very well constitute a feature 
of the regular teachers' meetings. Schools are dismissed, it appears, for 
the purpose of holding meetings of teachers usually at the rate of six 
or more a year. Difficulty has arisen from this in one township, wherein 
the board of education has seen fit to pass a resolution against the prac- 
tice. Superintendents would be acting entirely within their legal rights 
to ignore such a short-sighted action ; and yet conflict on the point at 
issue should be avoided if possible. The attitude of this board, which 
is shared to some extent by the public in the rural districts, at least, im- 
poses the responsil)ility, if it were not recognized from other considera- 
tions, of seeing to it that these meetings do not fail to be productive of 
real benefit, and that the public comes to know this. To this end, would 
it not be worth while to procure the attendance occasionally at teachers' 
meetings of board members and other citizens? If it is not a mere spirit 
of niggardliness regarding use of the teachers' time that actuates hos- 
tility to teachers' meetings, it should prove curable through observation 
of what goes on there. At any rate, if the conversion of objectors can 
not thus be brought about, the measures of active support coming from 
others can be increased to such extent as to render an objecting minority 
of little consequence. Would not the study of home project work, the 
need of which has previously been pointed out, prove to be a field promis- 
ing almost certain success in enlistment of the interest and support of par- 
ents? Would not, too, the teachers and parents consulting together be 
more likely to reach a basis of mutual understanding that would tend to 
insure the success of the project work itself? Specific subjects of study 
like project work, or Americanization (everywhere needed), or super- 
vised study, or measurement of results of school work, or important 
topics of the day, should become sul:)jects for series of discussions run- 
ning through consecutive meetings. 

Observation The growth of teachers in working power is promoted 
of Teaching in no greater degree, save through their own experience, 
by any other agency than observation of the work of 
others. The schedule of intervisitation amongst the teachers of the 
county, which is authorized by law, has never been put in eftect as yet 
in Fairfield County. This should be done. In addition, use should be 
made continuously of demonstration teaching in connection with teachers' 
meetings. The lessons taught for demonstration purposes should ex- 
emplify specific processes of instruction always, and should be followed 
by discussions bringing out the essential principles involved. Opportunity 
should be afl^orded the teachers, moreover, to pursue readings relating to 
the types of work that are observed, else intelligent participation in dis- 
cussions will not likely take place. A wealth of pedagogical literature 



43 

exists relating to every problem of teaching that may be attacked, some 
of the best of which should be made available to the teachers. To this 
end a circulating pedagogical library should be maintained at the county 
superintendent's office, possibly with branches at other points. The 
count}- I)oar(l of education could make no more productive outlay of 
funds than to provide for such a library. The various district boards 
might be prevailed upon to supplement the county board appropriations, 
and still further support might be secured through voluntary contribu- 
tions of teachers and public spirited citizens. Obviously the list of books 
annually recommended by the Ohio Teachers Reading Circle should find 
their way into this library. It is essential that teachers should he stim- 
ulated to continuous and serious study of their work; and boards of edu- 
cation and superintendents should not hesitate to impress this nccessitx 
upon the minds of all iti the se'nnce. 

Business The superintendents as a rule are the agents of the 

Administra- various boards of education in conducting the ordinary 
tion business affairs of the various districts. This respon- 

sibility is shared, however, in some measure l)y the school 
district clerks. In matters involving considerable outlay of funds such as 
construction or repair of buildings the boards usually act thru committees. 
School supplies of all kinds are purchased by local boards of education 
acting separately, excepting examination paper, report cards, and school 
registers, which are furnished by the county board. Orders for supplies 
are placed by the superintendents, as *a rule, seldom without specific 
authorization by their boards. In a few cases neither formal nor in- 
formal ratification of purchases is required, the school executive being 
])ermitted to procure things that in his judgment are needed, and in due 
time reporting the bills. Such Irl^erty of action is desirable and wise in 
practically every situation. It opens the way to immediate action when 
necessary and yet not in any appreciable degree toward lack of care in 
the expenditure of funds. If a superintendent cannot be trusted to this 
extent he is not to be considered worthy of the position he holds. There 
are reference books and more or less worthless school appliances to be 
found in the schools of the county tending to show the greater mistake 
in judgment of making purchases without the advice of a superintendent, 
as against entrusting him with rather full authority in such matters. 
The idea would seem worthy of serious consideration on the part of 
the district boards, either of depending in larger measure upon the 
county board for supplies which are necessary in all schools, or else act- 
ing jointly in their purchase. If such things as library books, papef, pens, 
ink, pencils, chalk, and erasers, were purchased in quantities for the 
entire countv, a verv material saving could doubtless be effected. 



44 

Financial There is not anywhere in tlie county a well developed 

Accountings system of accounting, as respects either pupils or finance, 

unless it may be in the city of Lancaster, where for lack 
of time scarcely any information on any phase of the school situation 
was obtained, aside from that contained in reports kindly supplied by 
the superintendent. The principal form of evidence respecting financial 
accounting was the file of annual summarized reports of receipts and 
expenditures returned by school board clerks to the county auditor. On 
the basis of these reports the conclusion can not be avoided, that the 
books from which they are drawn must l)e seriously defective in point 
of both clearness and accuracy, to say nothing of the matter- of a proper 
classification of expenditures. It is to be marveled at that the county 
auditor, even by drawing upon his imagination to the utmost limit of 
legitimacy, is able to bring order out of the chaos exhibited in these 
reports. It is greatly to be desired that financial accounts should be 
handled in a better way. It should be made possible to determine from 
these financial statements accurate figures covering any phase of schools 
costs, such as for supervision, equipment, heating and lighting, up-keep, 
etc., in any district. The outlay for various purposes, moreover, should 
stand in the reports distributed in proper proportion to elementary 
schools, high s.chools, night schools, or any other types of educational 
work that may be maintained. The obvious relation of all this to ui- 
telligent budget making would seem to prompt eager interest in learning 
to carry it out. The State Department of Public Instruction has in view 
the publication of a set of rather 'explicit instructions regartling financial 
accounts, which should contribute at least in some measure to improve- 
ment in this important matter. 

Educational The system of pupil accounting in the various districts 
Records and was not investigated in detail. Enough was Itarne 1, 
Reports howe\er, to warrant the assertion that ti;e term "sys- 

tem" is scarcely applicable' to this phase of the situation. 
All schools in the county school district use a uniform school register, 
with pages for entering the names of each pupil belonging, together with 
age, sex, nationality, place of residence, and name of parent or guardian, 
attendance, pupils' m'arks in all subjects, visits of superintendents and 
others, inventories of school property, and term summar'es. Duplicate 
perforated sheets enable the teachers without extra writing to furnish 
superintendents with copies month by month of tlic records they keep. 
This device, rather cumbersome in form, -is commendable as far as it 
goes. It affords no means of consulting the record of progress of an 
individual pupil thru the grades without searching thru the leaves of one 
or more of these large books. A cumulative individual record system, 
either su])j)lementary to or displacing this register, sliould l)c installed 
thniont the country. Sugar Grove has a form of cumulative ]ni]^,il 



45 

record, for which those in charge there are to be commeiKied ; but this 
could be improved upon in point of compactness and convenience of ac- 
cess to the data which it carries. All high schools of the county, too, 
have individual cumulative pupil records either in card form or in the 
form of a loose-leaf book. The attention of the administrative officials 
of the county may be directed to the National System of School Records 
and Reports or the Strayer-Englehart System of School Accounting. 
The advisability of using either of these in its complete form mav be 
open to question ; but there is no doubt regarding the superiority for 
pupil-record purposes of the Fairfield county schools of at least selected 
essential forms from either system. Reports of teachers and others, 
of the kinds required by law appear to be regularly made. The school 
census is taken as a rule in the eld-fashioned, loose way by most any- 
body who happens to be available for the purpose. Ages are indifferently 
ascertained, birth dates of youth not being made a matter of record at all. 
As regards the numbers of youth in gross enumerated as being of school 
age, however, the reports of enumerators are not seriously open to 
question. 

Janitors Persons employed for janitor service are appointed by 

the boards of education, usually, but not necessarily, 
on the recommendation of superintendents. Some care is exercised re- 
garding their moral character, but there are no fixed standards of eligibil- 
ity as to either this or other qualifications. Some are practical carpenters 
and resourceful workmen otherwise, but none have any special knowl- 
edge regarding maintenance of hygienic conditions in schools. The 
problem of securing janitors for one-room buildings, whose services are 
at all satisfactory, is one that presents considerable difficulty. In numer- 
ous instances the teachers for extra compensation assume responsibility 
for janitoring either employing others to do the work or doing it them- 
selves. The rate of pay for janitor service in these schools runs from 
$4 to $5 per month. Schools usually are not well janitored. Rooms are 
swept without dust absorbent of any kind ; at least some are not dusted 
at all after sweeping, and others only in careless fashion. Floors are 
frequently littered with scraps of paper and bits of fuel or ashes, the 
latter being conspicuously in evidence about the stoves. In numerous 
instances, however, ^rooms are kept in order and clean. Contrasts in 
cleanliness, neatness, and order are to be found also in the village and 
consolidated school situations. Those of this class of schools that are 
well cared for are easily a majority, but there are at least two cases of 
the opposite kind that are "horrible examples". These are both new 
buildings, the interior woodwork and furniture of which are rapidly 
deteriorating under the peculiarly damaging effects of accumulations of 
dust. Unless the janitors responsible for this can be taught to improve 
the character of the service they are rendering, as is not likely to be the 



46 

case, they should speedily be got rid of, if any one else can by any pos- 
sibility be obtained. 

Community Community-building activities of one kind and another 
Work are taking place from time to time in various parts of 

the county and in the villages, but there is in evidence 
nowhere a systemized continuous program of community vv^ork. The 
teacher of a one-room school in Liberty Township has perhaps the near- 
est approach to this. Numerous gatherings of the people are held at this 
school-house, but rather as occasion may suggest than in answer to de- 
termined needs. That social activities are an established feature in this 
teacher's yearly program, after all, is evidenced by his having stored 
in the school-house attic a complete outfit of tables, to be brought out 
on occasion. The good work which he is doing merits warmest com- 
mendation. Three other teachers were found in the course of visitation 
of schools who are at least rivals of this one in the community interest 
which they are develof>ing. That parent-teacher associations have not 
found their way more generally into the communities of Fairfield County, 
urban and rural alike, is occasion for regret. Any well considered com- 
munity plans would seem of necessity to include, if not center about, the 
parent-teacher association. There is work for it in every community, 
and if wisely directed it is capable of bringing almost unlimited benefits. 

Boys' and Clubs of social or semi-social character among boys and 

Girls' Clubs girls seem exceedingly limited in Fairfield County. The 
surveyor was informed of but two boys' pig clubs. These 
may not represent all there is in the nature of work-study clubs, as par- 
ticular inquiry was made in but a few of the schools visited regarding 
this phase of the educational situation. One purely social club of boys 
and young men came to notice at Clearport in Madison township. This 
is known by the name of "The Triangle Club". The name suggests the 
Young Men's Christian Association, which it resembles somewhat in its 
purposes and activities. The former are reported as follows : ( i ) Bet- 
ter social spirit; (2) To direct the activities of young men; (3) 
Proper use of leisure time ; (4) To furnish proper reading material ; 
(5) To supply games and literary programs. The organization was 
conceived of as a means of combating the influence of a pool-room in the 
same community. Its present membership of upwards of fifty embraces 
men and young men ranging in age from fifteen to fifty-five years. The 
membership fee is a dollar a year. Its meeting place is a room in the 
school building, where besides holding social events and giving literary 
programs from time to time, it furnishes constantly, at least in winter 
months, an open-house to the men and young men of the community. 
The only thing to be regretted regarding this admirable organization is 
that it seems to be relatively unknown in other parts of the county. 



47 

If intelligence of it were spread about, it might suggest similar under- 
takings in other localities. Here is something for celebration in the 
monthly county school bulletin. Other types of young people's organiza- 
tions should be fostered thru this same organ and by every other avail- 
able means. 

VII. Financial Support 

Resources The problem of financing the public schools in Fairfield 

County presents no very considerable measure of dif- 
ficulty, at least not since the laws have come to authorize a special three 
mills tax beyond all limitations when approved by popular vote. Prior 
to the present taxing year, when this extra levy first became available, 
the county seat city, the villages, with the exception of one, and at least 
one of the township districts were somewhat hampered for lack of 
funds. The reasons for this situation were, too, — • (i) statutory limita- 
tions on tax rates, and (2) low valuations put upon property for taxa- 
tion purposes. No general revaluation seems to have taken place for a 
period of years ; and the annual revision of the tax lists which is required 
by law of the county auditor and county board of revision seems to have 
»been timidly made. Real-estate, according to the testimony of a number 
of individuals in position to know, is assessed at about 60 per cent of its 
market value. Any statement as to the proportion of personal property 
that is being levied upon here, as in most other localities would have to 
rest almost wholly upon a guess-work basis. The present taxation re- 
sources of the various districts are set forth in Table IX. The average 
of taxable wealth per pupil of $9,170 for the county at large is a fairly 
comfortable average, although it is lower by about a thousand dollars 
than the corresponding average for the state. It is interesting to note 
how much lower the average for the city and that for the villages are 
than the rural average. In spite of this disadvantage in point of wealth 
a distinctly better quality of schools is being maintained in the munici- 
palities than in the rural districts. The latter are at some disadvantage 
in providing good school opportunities by reason of scatterment of the 
]X)pulation, but it is more than overbalanced by the difference in wealth. 



48 

TABLE IX 
Financial Resources 





o 
"ncM 

H 

4- 


Taxable Wealth 
Per Pupil 
Enrolled 


Tax Rates 


Rural Districts 


OJ 

O 

c 

i- 

3 

< 


1 

Oh 

m 


o . 
C/3 


Amanda 


$2 . 565 . OOO 


$7,090 
10,800 
10,300 

8.800 
19,300 

6,780 
19.420 

4.110 
16.410 

9.5.30 
13.000 
12,460 
13,480 


13.5 

15.8 

15.7 

18.5 

14.2 

17. 

15.2 

16.6 

15.2 

16.5 

16.1 

17.8 

14.9 


1.3 
2.5 
3.7 
3.5 
1.4 
2.0 
2.7 
7.2 
3.0 
4.0 
2.8 
4.9 
3. 





Berne 


4,511,000 
3,264,000 
2,712,000 
3,590,000 
3,330,000 
4.331,000 
1.467.000 
3,348,000 
1,210,000 
3,000,000 
3,926,000 
5,660.000 





Bloom 





Clearcreek 


1.6 


Greenfield .... 





Hocking 





Liberty 





Madison 


ll 


Pleasant 


(1 


Richland 

Rushcreek 






V iolet 


!l 


Walnut .... 









Totals 


.$42,914,000 

$2,000,000 
2,206,000 
1.408.000 
1.741.000 
521,000 
1.182,000 
1 . 072 . 000 
2.179.000 


$11,430 

$8,330 
7,180 
8.860 
5,200 

10.210 
6,. 550 
8.000 

13.970 


*15.9 

17.6 
18.5 
18.1 
19.7 
16.5 
16.2 
20.0 
18.5 


*3.2 

5.5 

3.0 

5.3 

7.2 

4.0 

4.0 

7.5, 

4.1 


*0 2 


Village Districts 

Amanda 

Bremen 


2.5 

1. 


Carroll 

Liberty Union 


1.3 

7.2 


New Salem 

Pleasantville 


.0 

.0 


Rushville Union ■? 


4. 




1.4 






Totals 


.$12,309,000 


$7,870 


*18.1 


*5.1 


*1.7 




$55,223,000 

16.000.000 


$10,-380 
6,850 


*16.8 
21. 


*3.9 

7.8 


*.8 


City of Lancaster 


1.6 






Grand Totals 


.$74,223,000 


$9,170 


*17. 


*4.1 


*.8 



* Averages. 

t October figures, not final. 



Costs School costs for the year of 1919-20 are shown in Table 

X. These statistics, in certain particulars at least, are 
such as to excite interest. There is marked variation in per capita ex- 
penditures in districts of the same general type, also in the percentages 
of funds expended for instruction. Some of the variant figures are 
readily explainable. The high per capita for all purposes of Violet 
township which is almost wholly centralized, is due to the abnormally 
high cost in these days of transportation of pupils. Walnut is paying 
heavily for instruction on account of maintenance of two high schools. 



49 

Five rural districts show an average expendittire for instruction of $25 
or less per pupil enrolled, which is one-sixth lower than the average for 
all rural districts and about one-fifth lower than the average for the 
county at large. It is a striking fact that the three lowest of these same 
districts show tax-rates for schools that are much below the average for 
all rural districts, and that do not approach the maximum allowable b}' 
law. This constitutes a more serious reflection against these districts 
when it is remembered that all group averages of the county are low. 



TABLE X 
School Costs 





Aggregate Days 
Attendance 


B 

u 

C 

W 

a! 


Expenditures, 1!I19-1! 


20 


fPer Capita 
Costs 


Rural Districts 


tn 

(U 



a, 
u 

3 

< 


c 



u 
D 
u 


^ c ! 
U n 



I- 

D 
Oh 


c 
.2 

D 
C 


Amanda 

Berne 


30.123 
50.265 
33.641 
36.363 
19,649 
55,413 
28.952 
28. '677 
24.485 
14.147 
26.261 
46.333 
61.642 


262 
418 
317 
307 
186 
491 
223 
257 
204 
127 
229 
315 
420 


$7,376 47 
18,393 82 
13,979 26 
13,102 73 

7,749 91 
15,316 76 
11,714 61 

7,781 06 
14,006 26 

6,434 09 
12,537 62 
33.805 47 
26.347 67 


1-5,846 37 

13,972 86 
7,900 00 

11,3-59 38 
4,2-50 42 

10,922 -50 
7,270 '00 
5,931 -50 
6.820 00 
3,815 05 
7.413,69 
9.860 00 

18,247 00 


79 
76 
57 
87 
55 
71 
62 
76 
49 
59 
59 
29 
69 


$28 
44 
44 
43 
42 
31 
52 
30 
68 
51 
54 

107 
63 


$22 
33 


Bloom 


25 


Clearcreek 

Greenfield 

Hocking 


37 
23 
22 


Liberty 


33 


Madison 


23 


Pleasant 


33 


Richland 

Rushcreek 

Violet 

Walnut 


30 
32 
31 
43 






Totals 


457.951 

37,183 
45,032 
24,0'68 
49,950 
7,142 
25,910 
18.413 
23.473 


3.756 

240 
307 
159 
335 
51 
182 
134 
156 


$188,545 73 

$11,934 58 
12.033 53 

7.731 11 
18,334 09 

3,287 02 
11,184 30 

6,179 90 
16,103 71 


$113,608 77 

$6,816 57 
7.600 00 
6,1170 29 

11,724 09 
2.296 05 
6.100 00 
5.430 00 
7. 074 14 


60 

57 
64 
83 
56 
70 
55 
88 
44 


$50 

$50 
39 
49 
55 
64 
61 
46 

103 


$30 


Village Districts 
Amanda 


$29 


Bremen 


25 


Carroll 

Liberty Union .... 

New Salem 

Pleasantville 

Rushville Union . . 
Sugar Grove 


38 
31 
45 
34 
40 
45 


Totals 


231.171 


1,564 


$86,788 24 


$53,171 26 


1 61 


55 


33 


Totals. Village 
and Rural . . . . 

City of Lancaster. 


689,122 
404,982 


5,320 

i 
2,772 


11275,333 97 
129,800 23 


$166,780 03 
88,106 89 


60 


$52 
47 


1 

1 $31 

32 


Grand Totals .. . 


1,094.104 


8,092 

1 


$404,634 20 


$254,886 92 


63 


.$50 


$31 



* Superintendents' salaries are not included in instruction costs. Small items 
other than teachers' salaries such as textbooks and instructional supplies, are in- 
cluded under the head of instruction. 

t Per capita costs are based on net enrolment. 

*4 p. I. 



50 

State and The extent of support out of the State Common School 

County Unit Fund which the county will realize during the current 
Support taxing year is determined on the basis of the number 

of young persons of school age residing in the county. 
The total number of such youth as shown by the enumeration for 1920 
is 10,461. This total must according to law be increased or decreased ac- 
cording to the rate of annual increase or decrease of the population of 
youth of school age in the county for the last three years, which adjust- 
ment brings the figure to 10,524. The allotment of funds to the county 
by the office of the auditor of state will be at the rate of about $12 per 
enumerated youth. At this rate Fairfield County will draw $126,288. In 
addition to this allotment from the State Common School Fund there 
will be available to the schools of the county the proceeds of the county 
levy for schools of i mill which will amount to approximately $74,223. 
These two sums combined amount to $200,511. 

Distribution Each district will draw from this total sum an allotment 
of State determined on the basis of three factors, — • (i) salaries 

and County paid teachers, (2) transportation of pupils provided, and 
Funds (3) aggregate days of school attendance. The intent 

of the law is that these factors determining the shares 
of districts in the general funds should offer stimulus in the direction of 
the following results : 

1 . Good salaries to teachers, thus favoring a more competent teach- 
ing service, which is the paramount factor in determining the 
measure of real opportunity afforded pupils enrolled in the 
schools. 

2. Regularity and prolongation of attendance of youth at school, 
in order that preparation for adult responsibilities may be ac- 
complished with proper thoroughness and within a reasonable 
period of years. 

3. Abandonment of schools too small to be effective, and consoli- 
dation of schools wherever feasible. 

The estimated amount to be distributed in the whole county on ac- 
count of the three determining factors is as follows : 

1. Percentage of teachers' salariees .-... $11!), 414 

2 . Percentage of transportation costs ' 1 , 365 

3. Aggregate dajs of attendance 79,732 

Total ' $200,511 

The estimate on transportation rests mainly upon expenditure for 
the school year of 1919-20; hence it is probably somewhat too low. The 
amount distributable on aggregate days oi attendance is sufficient to pay 
an average of a little more than seven cents per pupil-day. The scheme 
of distribution, therefore, offers to school districts compensation at the 



51 

rate of seven cents per pupil-day for good attendance conditions. The 
allotment of state and county school support within the county is shown 
somewhat in detail by Table XI. 

TABLE XI 

Distribution of State and County Funds 





. o 

tn Ol 

u 1 

U ~' 
rt -H 
u 

o'C 

03 

co 


1 

rt 
'u 
O 
p, 

1 

H 
o 

•0 


Apportionments and Tax Payments 




-a 

rt 
<v 

P 6 

< 


Tax Pmts. State 
and County 
Levies 


Differences 


Rural Districts 


Excess of 
Apmts. over 
Tax Pmts. 


Excess of 
Tax Pmts. 
over Apmts. 


Amanda 

Berne 


1 

$2 . 437 50 • . . . 1 $4 , 636 $7 , 182 00 

6,806 25 $45 00 1 10 .^90 1 io ^oi ao 




$2,546 

9 111 


Bloom 


4,134 18 70 00. 


6,806 9.139 00 
6,250 7.594 00 
4.104 10.052 00 
8.638 9.3-:>4 00. 


2 333 


Clearcreek 


3.598 9.n 




1 344 


Greenfield 2.655 00 

Hocking 4.593 19 


15 OO 


5,948 
686 


Liberty 

Madison 


4,005 00 
2,737 50 


• 20 66 i 0.138 12,127 00 
1 4 X31 ! i 10S no 


"'.$723' 


5,989 


Pleasant 


3.123 75 
1 .050 00 




4,911 1 !^374 00 
2.683 1 3.3S8 00 


4 463 


Richland 




705 


Rushcreek i 3 . 920 62 




5,837 
« 50fi 


8,400 00 
10,993 00 
15,848 00. 


2 563 


Violet 


4.323 75 

8,709 38 


800 00 


2 487 


Walnut 


165 00 ! 13,374 

1 


2,474 


Totals 

Village 
Districts 

Amanda 

Bremen 


$53,772 88 

t 

$3,558 75 
5.356 88 


11,115 00 

I $200 00 


187,234 

$6,473 
8,644 
4,751 
8,758 
1,656 
4.479 
3,594 
5,027 


$120,160 00 

$5,600 00 
6,177 00 
3,942 00 
4,875 00 
1 1.459 00 
3.310 00 
3,002 00 
6,101 00 


$723 

$873 

2,467 

809 

3 , 883 


$33,649 


Carroll 


1 4.751 00 






Liberty Union | 5,111 25 

New Salem | 1.080-00 

Pleasantville 2.587 50 






I 55 00 


197 1 

1,169 1 


Rushville Union .. 2.250 00 




592 




Sugar Grove .. 3.313 13 


1 


$1 , 074 


Totals 

Totals. Village 
and Rural 

City of Lancaster. . 

Grand Totals . . . 




1 




$25,171 88 1 $255 00 

1 I 


$43,382 


$34,466 00 

1 


$9,990 


$1,074 


( $78,944 26 

! 

40,470 00 


1 

i$ 1,365 00 

) 


1 ' 

|$130.616 [$154,626 00 

70.034 ■ 53,200 00 


$10,713 
16,834 


$34,723 


1 




$119,414 26 |$1.365 00 


$200,650 $207,826 00 


$27,547 


$34,723 

1 



52 

Equalization The fundamental reason underlying the great augmenta- 
tion of the State Common School Fund this year, as 
compared with what the fund has amounted to in previous years, is that 
the larger measure of interest properly appertaining to the state in school 
support might thus be exercised. The county educational fund is sim- 
ilarly justified. Both are distributed in such a way as to attain in a 
measure the equalization of school advantages thruout the state, and 
of the burden of school support also. Examination of the table of dis- 
tribution will reveal the fact that districts realizing less out of these 
two funds than they put into them are invariably districts whose wealth 
per-pupil is relatively high, and whose tax-rates for schools are relatively 
low. On the other hand those receiving more than they pay are districts 
having relatively low per-pupil wealth and in practically all cases dis- 
tinctly higher school tax rates. The flow of funds from the rural dis- 
tricts to the villages and county seat is due primarily to differences in 
teachers' salaries and in attendance conditions. Salaries in the rural 
districts, as shown previously in this report, are low ; and such is the 
case also with average daily attendance and length of the school year. 
The rural folk appear, therefore, to have in their own hands the remedy 
for the disadvantageous position in which they stand with reference to 
the distributions of general funds. Rural residents should raise with 
themselves in all seriousness the question as to whether there is any 
good reason why either salary or attendance conditions should be lower 
in the country than in the villages and cities. 



VIII. Reorganiz at ion 

Community The political divisions of the county have been the de- 
Basis terming factor in the formation of school districts, which 
are nearly everywhere co-extensive with civil townships, 
altho in the cases of village districts and the city of Lancaster they trans- 
cend considerably the corporate limits of the municipality. It is still 
true, nevertheless, that some of the village districts are too small. Most 
of the villages are maintaining creditable school establishments, including 
high schools, from which the people of the surrounding country profit 
both directly and indirectly, and in the financial support of which they 
should sustain a share. The towns together with contiguous rural terri- 
tory constitute the communities, which as is too apparent to require 
comment, should be accepted as the basis of school districts. Boundary 
lines other than the metes and bounds of naturally developed communities 
should be disregarded. A suggested redistricting of the county on this 
principle for school purposes is shown on Map II. 



L 



53 

Redistricting No attempt has been made to fix delimitations of terri- 
and Con- tory with perfect exactness. Adjustments, resulting, no 

solidation doubt, in quite irregular boundary lines would obviously 

have to be made. The plan presented is designed to 
show roughly, at least, how the district organization might be improved 
from the standpoint of community development, which would demand 
for its realization in full measure consolidation of the schools. Re- 
districting is recommended urgently to the County Board of Education 
and to the people of the county as the first step in a program of reor- 
ganization, which should not be permitted to stop until every child in 
the county is afforded the advantages of a modern consolidated school. 
Wealth and roads both favor such a movement. It can only be regarded 
as inexcusable lethargy if steps are not 'taken promptly to carry it out. 



FAIRFIELD COUNTY 

Proposed Redistricting of the County 



feasant., lie RICHLAND 
Hushville 




5alem 



Tnion 



dremen 



f(U3HCR[[K 



LEGEND: 

Proposed district boundary lines 
Township lines 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



022 166 



941 1 ^ 



